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Part 09

With Snake Mountain in site, it did not take Zeehlar long to traverse the distance. In a brilliant flash, he stood at the base of the fortress.

“Halt!” hissed a nearby guard, brandishing a mighty sword.

Zeehlar held up his hands. “I come in peace, Snake Man. I merely wish to speak with King Hsss. You would be wise to take me to him.” A silver glow illuminated the Cosmic Enforcer’s eyes.

The same glow appeared around the guard’s eyes. “Follow me to the throne room,” the guard instructed, sheathing his sword and leading Zeehlar through a secret entrance.

Together they made their way up a narrow, spiraling stairwell. Down a large, snake-filled hallway, they came to a set of massive wooden doors. The Snake Man hissed something to the guards securing the door, and they stepped aside.

Inside the throne room, Zeehlar found King Hsss alone, sitting upon his throne. “What is the meaning of this-s-s?” the ruler asked, though he already suspected the answer.

“Mighty King Hsss,” Zeehlar greeted, “I have journeyed here from Castle Grayskull itself. I am both a Cosmic Enforcer, and an Ambassador to the Council of Elders.”

Hsss nodded, and feigned a helpful tone. “I do not know what a ‘Cosmic Enforcer’ is, but I am familiar with the Council of Elders. Although my people have never been offered repres-s-sentation in the Eternian government, I respect its authority,” he lied.

If Zeehlar had been unsure of Hsss before, he was certain now that the creature was as false as the others had said. Nevertheless, he was on a quest, and would stop at nothing until Zanthor was found.

“I confess,” Hsss continued, “that I was alerted some time ago that two humans were on their way to Snake Mountain. Tell me, where is your companion?”

Zeehlar had already planned an answer as deceptive as Hsss' for such a question. “He did not survive the journey,” he said. “My brother, Zodak, was already ill when we left Castle Grayskull. Being at sea for so many days was too much for him.”

“That is a s-s-shame.” His red eyes narrowed as he continued. “And yet you carry on. Why have you sought out the ruler of the Snake Men, when you should be in mourning?”

“My teacher has vanished. It is my belief that he is a prisoner of the dark wizard Hordak.”

Hsss was genuinely thrown off guard. “I have never heard of him.”

“He is now the leader of Shokoti’s Horde army, and during the battle at Castle Eternia he came into possession of the Book of the Ancients.”

“’Shokoti’s Horde army’?” the ruler echoed, venom seeping into his words. “You mean those interloping Orcs-s-s in the silver armor? They were under Shokoti’s command?”

Zeehlar nodded.

“That treacherous witch!” the king bellowed. “She double-crossed me!”

“She has been taken care of,” Zeehlar shared. “My teacher saw to it, along with my brother and me.”

Hsss studied the Cosmic Enforcer as he reigned in his anger. “And with that last bit of information you hope to entice me into helping you find this army and your mentor.”

“Yes.”

“Follow me,” Hsss instructed.

Moments later, they stood at the mouth of Serpos. Suddenly, a group of Snake Men surrounded them, and two of the reptiles grabbed Zeehlar from behind! The Cosmic Enforcer put up little fight.

“You have provided me with useful information, human,” King Hsss stated. “I knew little about this new threat beforehand.”

“Then you don’t know where to find them.”

“No. But, when I do find them, they will pay for their interference at Castle Eternia—they wounded many of my warriors. A pity you won’t be around when that happens.”

“Your men cannot hold me, King Hsss. My powers are—”

Translucent streaks of green magic, in the form of snakes, shot forth from the ruler’s staff and bored through the Cosmic Enforcer’s eyes. The pain was horrific, and it felt like something had coiled around his brain. Zeehlar tried to fight back—tried to launch his own magical assault—but his powers were being restricted somehow.

“You are resis-s-sting my spell with great force, son of the stars! No matter, though, because I will have made a meal of you before you can completely break free.”

It took every ounce of energy he had, but the ensnared Cosmic Enforcer managed to find his voice and pry his lips apart. “You cannot do this! I am Zeehlar, brother to Zodak, and Ambassador to the Elders!”

The mighty, green tongue of Tung Lashor descended upon him like a whip. “Silence!” the purple, scaled sergeant ordered.

“The Elders are weak,” Hsss stated. “S-s-soon, all of Eternia will fall before us-s-s.”

“No,” the voice of Zodak corrected. The Snake Men spun towards the opening of the tunnel, where Zeehlar’s brother stood upon a floating, silver sedan. The younger Cosmic Enforcer had donned his battle helmet, and carried with him a dual-headed trident.

He leapt from the chariot and landed in a defensive stance. The magical tattoos along his body glowed silver, as the Snake Men prepared to strike.

“Another meal for our king,” Rattlor said confidently, flanked by a group of his most powerful footmen. “Take him!”

Zodak easily repelled the attacks, knocking away the first two, and then sweeping the feet out from under a third.

Nearby, Zeehlar was being hoisted into the air. He tried with all of his might to escape, but King Hsss’ spell was proving too powerful for even him. Once he had walked on stars, but now he was as helpless as an infant. The Cosmic Enforcer, for the first time in his long existence, experienced fear as Hsss shed his magical skin.

Zodak was still busy fighting back the Snake Men, trying to work his way deeper into the tunnel and closer to his brother.

“Zodak, warn the Elders!” Zeehlar called out.

Time seemed to slow to an immeasurable speed for Zodak. He watched as Hsss’ largest serpent head unlocked its lower jaw, expanding its mouth to an incredible size…he watched as Zeehlar tried to summon enough energy to fight against the monster’s magic…and finally, as Zodak pushed away yet another assailant, he watched his brother disappear head-first down the throat of the Snake Men’s ruler.

“Brother!” he cried, rushing to save him from the serpent’s belly, but it was as if his legs had been tied to large bags of wet sand. Suddenly, he felt something coil around his neck with so much force that he was surprised it did not snap.

Tung Lashor used his thick tongue to jerk Zodak off his feet, and sent him careening to the floor, where Rattlor was waiting to pick him up. The brick-hued beast clutched the Cosmic Enforcer’s head, but Zodak had not the heart to fight back. General Rattlor hissed triumphantly as he carried his victim to the edge of Serpos’ stony mouth.

With King Hsss’ appetite satiated, the second Cosmic Enforcer was of no use to the Snake Men. Without a second thought, Zodak was tossed from Snake Mountain, and into the murky depths of Blood River, like so much refuse...

Part 10

Hordak and the Shadow Weavers had arrived at the Well of Darkness. Each of the three fallen Cosmic Enforcers held a piece of the Triad of Discidium in their withered hands. The first piece, and the largest, was like an upturned pyramid with a hole drilled through the center. The second piece, resembling a wrist-gauntlet, was meant to be placed in the aperture of the first. The last piece, a rounded stone with a tiny diamond in the center, was designed to fill the rest of the opening completely.

Hordak stopped the dark creatures as they began to approach the altar at the top of the well. “I will invoke the spell myself,” he stated confidently.

The Shadow Weavers answered in unison, as always. “That is unwise, Hordak. The Triad’s magic is beyond anything you have ever tried to harness, and you will not be able to control it.”

Red energy lanced from Hordak’s eyes, blasting at the ground near the Shadow Weavers’ hovering forms. “I am Hordak,” he proclaimed. “I have prevailed where my brother and the witch Shokoti could not! I have beaten a Cosmic Enforcer in physical combat! Nothing can stop me!”

The Shadow Weavers said nothing more as Hordak spun around and ascended the stone steps to the altar atop the Well. As he reached the summit, it was as if the heavens themselves sensed what was about to happen, because lightening flared in the sky as ominous clouds rolled in.

Silently, Hordak raised his clawed hands into the air, and the three pieces of the Triad of Discidium flew from the Shadow Weavers’ grasp. In midair, the pieces locked themselves together, before coming to rest in a small opening atop the altar.

An amazing stream of blinding, blue energy erupted from the diamond in the center of the Triad, streaking toward the sky like an arc of lightening in reverse. The dark clouds above began to spin, and the lightening intensified. A great wind seemed to blow from every direction at once, while Hordak laughed maniacally.

But suddenly, Mount Barathrum—the largest volcano on all of Eternia—erupted, sending an enormous plume of fire and ash into the sky. And then the entire planet started to quake, knocking Hordak off his feet. The Shadow Weavers hovered above nervously, realizing that the power of the Triad had escaped Hordak’s control. Destruction’s fiery talons started to claw the continent apart, as the mystical weapon’s power reached into the planet’s very core—doing far more than creating an atmospheric change to wipe out the Snake Men!

Despite its distance, the Horde leader could clearly see an enormous wall of fire erupt from the desert lands to the west. The fiery mass seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see—both vertically and horizontally—and it was sweeping toward Hordak and the Shadow Weavers at great speed! Large chunks of land, including an entire range of mountains to the north, were ripped from the arms of Eternia and carried toward space!

Hordak tried to contain the forces he had unleashed, but they were too much for him. Though he was loathe to admit it, the Shadow Weavers had been right, and he could not control the Triad of Discidium. “Stop the spell!” he shrieked, spinning toward the Weavers.

They raised their arms and worked their magic, using all of their power to put a stop to the Spell of Separation that had been unwittingly cast. The blue energy wave returned to the Triad’s diamond center, and the distant wall of fire vanished. Only the giant cyclone, firmly in place high in the upper-atmosphere—where it blocked the Eternian suns—remained. Bits of ash and debris rained down slowly upon the land.

His legs shaking fiercely, Hordak joined the Shadow Weavers at the base of the altar. “Destroy that wretched thing!” he commanded with a trembling voice.

“The Triad is indestructible, Hordak,” they replied. “Besides, just because you do not possess the power to control it now does not mean that you won’t in the future.”

Hordak mulled it over as he brushed ash from the shoulders of his onyx armor. “Very well,” he replied cautiously. “But I want its pieces kept separated until that time. I don’t want anyone stumbling upon them by accident!”

“Of course.” The Shadow Weavers called on their powers once more, and sent the three pieces of the Triad flying in different directions. Even Hordak himself did not know where they would come to rest...

Part 11

I'm glad you're enjoying it, He-Man54, and that you are enjoying the way it ties together bits of the backstory. I'm also intrigued: What little bits have surprised you? (Knowing something like that helps me plan for the future.) Now, back to the story...

*****

Zodak regained consciousness, but he could neither move nor speak. It felt like some kind of gelatinous creature had affixed itself to his nose and mouth, but he could still breathe.

Is it giving me air?

And what was the cold, slimy substance coiled around his left arm and right knee?

He tried to open his eyes, but all he could see were vague shadows. Then he noticed something large moving towards him. The shadowy creature was reaching towards his face…

And then, consciousness fled from Zodak once more...

*****

At first, King Grayskull was pleased to see the fierce tempest raging outside his bedroom windows. It matched the mood he had been in since the loss of his son, Prince He-Ro, to the minions of Shokoti. He felt as one with the ferocious weather outside, until a blast of wind shattered the glass doorway to the balcony.

He barely had time to shield himself with the heavy blankets draping his bed, when, in the background, he became aware of his wife’s screams—shouts of fear and pain! Grayskull turned to look at Queen Veena, and saw that she was rocking on the edge of the bed in agony.

“By Eternia!” he bellowed, as a quake shook the foundations of the mighty fortress, “what foul sorcery is this?”

“Eternia is bleeding!” Veena answered between sobs.

Just then, a reddish-orange flash tickled at the corner of Grayskull’s eye, and he turned to see what had caused it: A giant wall of fire had stretched itself across the horizon, and it was on the move!

“It doesn’t matter,” Grayskull interrupted, already pulling together his clothes. “Summon the Elders at once, and have them meet me in the throne room.” The guards saluted before rushing from the room. Grayskull dropped all harshness in his voice, as he gently sat back down next to his wife. He brushed her disheveled red hair out of her face, and used his thumbs to wipe away the tears cascading down her cheek. “Are you all right, my love?”

“Yes,” she answered, although her voice said otherwise. “Eternia itself has been attacked, my husband, and it may never be the same again.”

He nodded, before standing to finish getting dressed. Once he had affixed his long red cloak, Grayskull made for the doorway, but then paused, his hand on the knob. “How are the babies?” he asked softly.

A slight smile tugged at Veena’s mouth as she rubbed her belly. “Unharmed.”

Part 12

A few hours later, the Council of Elders—dressed in battle togs rather than ceremonial robes—had assembled in the throne room of Castle Grayskull. Once they were all together, the group moved into the secret chamber behind the king’s throne. Each of the representatives held numerous parchments from different lands, all of them reports on the damage.

Sumana, the beautiful, blue-gray skinned ruler of Arcadia, was the first to speak. “My city sustained some damage during the quake, but there were minimal injuries. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the people of Caladon.”

“What happened?” Grayskull inquired.

“The Dam of the Ancients burst, and, because Caladon was located in the lowlands, it was flooded within moments. Most of the people probably didn’t even know what was happening.”

“What was left of Zalesia has almost entirely sunk beneath the sand,” Councilwoman Zilora (the former Lord of Zalesia’s sister) announced. “Likewise, two of Castle Eternia’s mighty towers have crumbled to the desert floor. Only Central Tower remains.”

“Have you received news from the Fire People?”

“No,” she answered. “The giant wall of fire, seen by most of us, erupted from beneath their land, and it is still too hot to send a search party out right now. There was, however, a large piece of land that broke away from the rest of the continent. There may be Fire People living on this new island, but the waters are too rough for us to attempt a rescue at this time.”

Grayskull nodded, and turned to Emperor Gnarl. “How did your kingdom fair during this disaster?”

The broad-faced leader of the Mer-People gave a bubbly sigh. “Sadly, it appears as if my undersea kingdom has grown.”

“How so?”

“The Island of Avathar sank—”

“The entire island?” Sumana gasped.

“—creating a massive tidal wave. My people searched for surviving Avathians, but they have surely been wiped out.”

“What of the tidal wave?” Grayskull asked.

“It made it all the way to Lake Rakash, and, with that added water source, it has completely filled the Caverns of Rakash. By my calculations, the cartographers will have to add a new sea to their maps.”

“The sinking of Avathar caused a tidal wave that large?”

“That, and most of the Selki Archipelago, which also sank.”

Grayskull closed his eyes tightly. The news thus far had been so grim it was almost too much. “Can anyone speak good news?”

The dark-skinned Councilman from Targa raised his hand. “The Dagon Jungle and the Plains of Perpetua were spared! I have already made contact with the Operonians and the Widgets, and their reports were mostly positive. There was minimal structural damage done to their lands, and no reported fatalities.”

“Thank the Ancients,” Grayskull said with a deep sigh, “some good news.”

Red-bearded Duquaine, who lived near Stone Mountain, spoke next. “I have made contact with the inhabitants of the Mystic Mountains: Avion, Andreenos, and Felis Folia all faired relatively well.”

Standing next to Duquaine was the much smaller Councilman named Vulcan. He stroked his long white beard as he spoke. “Some of the people in Stone City have lost their homes, but overall they are fine. Lithos remains unchanged. As for Eternos Forest…”

“What of it?” Grayskull prodded.

“Three large pieces of land broke away, taking a sizeable chunk of the forest with them.”

“Were there any settlements?”

“Just the savages that live in Grark.”

“Well at least that will keep them from attacking the gentler creatures of the forest for a while,” Zilora commented coldly.

Finally, the king turned to Steagor and inquired about Subternia.

The large Caligar spoke in a measured tone, as if something heavy was weighing on both of his hearts. “The damage is incalculable. There were massive cave-ins and eruptions of molten rock. The Speleans and the Caligars have both sustained heavy casualties.”

“What of the other Subternians?” Grayskull inquired.

“The Belats have sustained casualties equal to our own. It is unknown at this time how the Orcs faired.”

“And the Spikeans?”

“The majority of Spikean cities were situated beneath the Sands of Fire. When the giant wall of fire erupted from the planet’s core, it eradicated those settlements. The Spikeans are likely an extinct race.”

The Caligar sighed heavily. “During a cave-in, my family…my family…” The giant Councilman broke-down into tears, and his friends gathered around him in a conciliatory manner.

A more inopportune moment for Grayskull’s Man-At-Arms to enter the anteroom could not have come, but enter he did. In his hands he held a thick sheaf of parchment. “Sire, forgive the interruption, but I have the most current tally of casualties.”

Grayskull sighed, but nodded at his chief soldier. “How many?”

“Over 12 million,” was the response. “However, our search parties are still on the look-out, and we have not been able to account for any of the eastern hemisphere.”

The king pounded his fist into the open palm of his other hand, cursing loudly. “Are we assuming this was the work of King Hsss?”

“It is too soon to tell,” Sumana replied, “but a dark cloud hangs over the entire hemisphere on which he lives.”

For the first time during the session Veena spoke. “King Hsss is powerful, but I highly doubt that he was the one behind this. The dark magic that caused this surely came from the Book of the Ancients, which belongs now to the Spikean warlord Hordak.”

Grayskull pummeled the chamber wall. “How do we find this Hordak?”

Zilora answered, “My spies had started bringing me word of a large force—possibly the Horde—operating near the banks of Harmony Sea. At this time, though, it is too dangerous to travel to that area.”

The surprises weer mostly from part 1. Shokoti being Skeletor's eventual mother, Evil-Lyn being WAY old, among other things. And the latest, the formation of the Sea of Rakash. You really made the Spell of Separation sound like a true global catastrophe. Well done.

Wow, nice update! I like that you put more emphasis on the tragedy that the separation spell cost on the world (in the show they pretty much just mentioned it and left it at that). Can't wait for the next section!

Part 13

He-Man54: I'm glad to see that I'm keeping you on your toes, and thanks for letting me know what surprised you. Also, rest assured that the appearances of Shokoti and Evil-Lyn will continue to have lingering effects on the others in this tale...especially in Dark Legacies (Part III)...

monstarmaster: Good to have you back, my friend! I'd love to know which ideas you've liked the most, to help with the creation of future stories!

Luminak: The Spell of Separation had to have been a cataclyzmic event, and, like you, I felt that it was just glossed over. I'm glad I was able to give it some depth for you; and, as you will see below, those mostly effected are even more fired up than the heroes...

*****

King Hsss stood alongside his chief warriors on the distant cliffs of the Desolate Mountains. From this vantage point, despite the remaining clouds of smoke and ash that filled the air, the Snake Men’s leader could clearly see the destruction that had ripped his lands apart.

A lush jungle once nestled against the jagged cliffs of Snake Mountain. A thick river of molten lava, pouring from Mount Barathrum, had swept that jungle away. The bubbling, red river continued to run in multiple directions, destroying everything else in its path as well.

Snake Mountain itself was barely recognizable. The quaking had caused large sheets of rock face to fall toward the ground, and along with those pieces of stone, two of Serpos’ encased heads had broken off completely. Were King Hsss capable of tears, the sight of his god’s shattered heads laying on the molten ground would be enough to coax them out.

Impossible though it seemed, a noticeable drop in temperature could already be felt, and for a cold-blooded species like the Snake Men that was not good news.

“We’re ruined,” Snake Face muttered. “Our people were not ready to hibernate yet, and if the temperature does not even-out soon, we may all perish.”

“Most have already perished because of the quake and the eruptions,” Sssqueeze retorted.

“This is the work of the humans,” Tung Lashor hissed, shaking his clenched fist in the air. “We must retrieve the Medallion of Serpos and use it to rouse our god once more. He will save us!”

Rattlor smacked the larger Snake Man with his brick-colored tail. “How can we retrieve the Medallion, when its resting place—the Temple of Serpos—lays buried beneath a mountain of debris and lava-rock?”

“Enough!” Hsss shouted. “General Rattlor, how many Snake Men do you think survived this...attempt at genocide?”

The serpent was silent for a long while, pondering the question. “We know that everyone in Snake Mountain made it to safety, so that leaves us with at least 200 surviving Snake Men.”

“And how many that lived outside of Snake Mountain?”

There was an even longer pause before Rattlor whispered, “Less than 100.”

Tung Lashor hefted a nearby boulder into the air, and tossed it into one of the newly created lava-lakes in the distance. “The flesh-bags have killed over 5 Billion Snake Men! They must pay in kind!”

“This was not the work of the humans-s-s,” Hsss replied angrily. “An attack of this magnitude would have needed the Book of the Ancients-s-s, or something thats power is akin to it.”

“But I thought the Book of the Ancients was lost,” Snake Face replied.

“As did I, but the Cosmic Enforcer told me otherwise. He told me that it rests in the hands of one called Hordak. It is he that is to blame for this, and it is he who shall be made to suffer!”

Part 14

It had taken far longer for Hordak to return to his sanctuary than anticipated. He and the Shadow Weavers had actually been forced to fly back, because the land- and seascapes were so devastated that any other form of travel would have been impossible. The destruction had been more than he expected, but the effects that the spell had on him were worse still.

He could not let the Shadow Weavers know that as the planet was being ripped apart, so were his innards; the fires that had sprung from Eternia’s core had bubbled forth within his soul as well. If the cosmic sorcerers had not stopped the Spell of Separation when they did, Hordak was sure he would have perished.

Sitting on his throne once more, the Horde leader became aware of something tickling his upper lip, and he reached up to see what it was. Pulling his hand away, Hordak found that it was drops of sticky, black blood that he was rubbing between his thumb and forefinger. He wiped the rest of the rivulet away from his nose as dark thoughts closed in around him.

An Orc, dressed in his Horde Trooper armor, sans helmet, knocked at the throne room door. “Mighty Hordak, General Sunder thought you would want to see this report on the damage to Subternia.”

The warlord snatched the page from the trembling Orc’s hand. He was pleased to see the chaos created by his spell…

But then he read about the annihilation of the Spikean cities. By all accounts, his entire species had been purged from the face of Eternia; obliterated by a wall of molten rock and iron.

And their blood—the life-force of his brothers and sisters; his cousins; strangers to him; the old ones, and the young ones; the brave ones, and the cowardly ones—was all on his talons.

Hordak's blood-red eyes grew wide, and a guttural sound issued from deep within his throat. Before the Trooper knew what was happening, Hordak had leapt from his seat and plunged his fist through the creature’s thick, silver armor, and then deeper still. The Horde leader lifted his underling into the air by his heart and then threw him across the chamber. The twitching body crashed into the wall with enough force to crack the stone, and as it limply slid to the floor it left a trail of dark ichors.

“Shadow Weavers!” Hordak cried, pacing wildly around the room, like a crazed parek-narr.

The three ex-Cosmic Enforcers appeared in a cloud of thick smoke. “What is it that you seek now, Hordak?” They paid no attention to the corpse in the corner. “We are still worn from having to use so much magic.”

He answered, but never stopped pacing. “Because I was not strong enough to control the Triad, my people were destroyed! For that matter, I almost destroyed Eternia itself! I need more power, and I demand that you give it to me!” The more he went on, the louder Hordak’s shouts became.

The three answered in their usual, whispering trio of voices. “We gave you warning, Hordak, that you were not yet powerful enough to control the spell.”

He glared at them in response, not content with their “We told you so.”

“We cannot simply create the power you seek, Hordak. It must be transferred from another.”

“Then I will find another!”

“Allow us to make a suggestion.” They created an image of King Hsss between them. “Hsss is a being of both physical and mystical power. He is the ideal candidate.”

“But Hsss is dead!”

“No, he lives. The Snake Men’s High Command all fled Snake Mountain when Mount Barathrum erupted. They are among the few survivors on this new, dark side of Eternia.”

The Horde leader cursed and spat. “Very well. We will hunt King Hsss down, and when we find him you will transfer his powers to me!”

Aw, King Hsss and Hordikins wanna cry (hehe). Cool entry, I really like how this helps provide a clear reason for Hordak and Hsss to be mortal enemies. In the show Hsss always hated Hordak (for what I can assume to be that because Hordak defeated him) but, this moment tells us one of the ways how (or the way) Hordak bested Hsss. Not to mention, that the concept of getting more power gives Hordak to have a true interest in Hsss other than the trite concept of Hsss just being another thorn in his side. Great stuff and I can't wait to see what happens between the two (if you can't tell: I root for Hordak! yay!).

Part 15

Thanks, Luminak, it was my hope to do just that: provide a reason for "Hordikins" and Hsss to hate one another. As far as who's going to win...

*****

Zodak awoke once more. The strange, gelatinous thing was still firmly affixed to his face, and the slimy strands of…whatever they were, were still wrapped around his arm and knee. He opened his eyes and was relieved to note that his sight had at least returned to normal.

He was in a damp cave, illuminated by some kind of glowing algae that grew along the walls. The Cosmic Enforcer was laying on his back, staring at the ceiling, and listening to the soft, rippling sounds of a pool somewhere nearby. He tried to move, but his body was so stiff it hurt.

Just then, he heard something rising from the pool. With every ounce of strength that he could muster, Zodak staggered to his feet (figuring out quickly that he needed to keep his weight balanced on his left knee). He pulled the thing away from his mouth, and was disgusted to realize that it was some kind of jellyfish.

When Zodak saw what was emerging from the pool he collapsed once more...

Maq-Rel made his way over to the Cosmic Enforcer, and rearranged his prone body on the sandy floor. “Easy, friend,” the mer-man said. “You have suffered significant wounds.”

“What happened?” Zodak whispered through parched lips.

Maq-Rel sat down, leaning on the cave wall as he told the tale. “I had a bad feeling about you and your brother going to Snake Mountain alone, so I decided to stake-out the area. It wasn’t long before I overheard some sea-snakes talking about someone being thrown into Blood River.

“I swam as quickly as I could toward the river, but you had already taken Blood Falls the hard way—you broke your arm and knee on the way down. You were unconscious when I found you, so I brought you to this underwater grotto that used to serve as one of our secret outposts.

“The baby Pulmos that you pulled from your face served as an organic respirator for you while you were unconscious, and the Selki Seaweed wrapped around your arm and knee should expedite the bone-mending process.”

“Thank you, Maq-Rel,” Zodak replied, truly grateful for all the Mer-Man had done to help him. He closed his eyes for a moment, and the tattoos upon his body began to glow. Once the glow had faded away, and he reopened his eyes, Zodak removed the Selki Seaweed and stood up, good as new.

“An impressive trick, Man of the Stars.” After a long silence, Maq-Rel asked, “Where is brave Zeehlar?”

Zodak’s jaw clenched, and he balled his fists. “The serpents have taken him from me. I will have my revenge against them!”

“That may be out of your hands.”

The Cosmic Enforcer spun around. “What do you mean?”

“While you were unconscious there was a great planetary cataclysm! King Hsss’ kingdom lays beneath a river of lava and collapsed rocks now. Thank Aquatica we were not crushed in a cave-in as well.”

This news brought no joy to Zodak, as he wanted to be the one to take the life of his brother’s murderer. “I must see for myself. If Hsss still lives, then he belongs to me!”

Before Maq-Rel could utter another word, Zodak vanished in a flash of light, leaving the noble Mer-Man alone.

Part 16

Weeks had passed since the great Spell of Separation split Eternia in two. Trade routes were still disrupted, and there were many buildings that needed to be rebuilt. Every night the skies would reflect an orange glow as still more funeral pyres were kindled.

The Elders were doing their best to maintain order in their regions, but anarchy forever loomed on the horizon. The people demanded answers: Who had caused this devastation? How had they done it? Why had they not been brought to justice yet? But, publically, the Elders could only offer speculations in return.

The Sands of Fire had finally cooled and settled enough for search teams to seek out the Fire People. Fortunately, they had survived unscathed, albeit a little shaken up. As Zilora had reported to King Grayskull, a sizeable chunk of their kingdom had indeed split from the continent and was now an island in the Harmony Sea.

The search teams could not report similar good tidings from the eastern hemisphere. Even though it had been almost a month, dark clouds remained firmly in place over the skies on that half of the planet. Without the light from Eternia’s suns, the temperature had already dropped significantly from the yearly average. The land was barren and cracked, and mounds of dried lava covered everything. There was no sign of the Snake Men, save charred or crushed remains. Even Snake Mountain looked as if it could fall at any moment.

King Grayskull and his Council knew better than to believe that the Snake Men were completely destroyed, although it did look as if Hordak’s attack was directed primarily at them. Still, the king of Eternia could not help but hold out hope that the evil King Hsss was not among the survivors…

*****

Having taken up residence in the warm lava-vents below Snake Mountain, King Hsss was angered that his territory had suffered the most significant losses. “We were the primary target!” he seethed, banging his staff on the ground.

“Perhaps, Your Scaliness,” General Rattlor replied, “but Hordak will be made to pay soon enough.”

“Indeed,” Hsss agreed. “When Snake Mountain is safe to enter once more, I shall personally cast Hordak into the timeless, dimensional prison created by my ancestors-s-s.”

The other Snake Men in the tunnel bowed their heads, and whispered with reverence, “The Void!”

Part 17

The Spikean warlord was growing impatient. Ever since Hordak had learned that the Shadow Weavers could transfer King Hsss’ power to him, the Horde Troopers had been scouting the remains of the snake ruler’s kingdom for signs of him. To date, they had come up empty handed.

He was in a foul mood, and if the next person to enter his throne room did not bring news of Hsss, they would bear the brunt of that mood. Much to Galen Nycroft’s dismay, he was that person. Unable to get a word in edge-wise, the scientist was berated for over an hour.

When Hordak finally had enough, and dismissed him, the human muttered, “B-but I c-came to t-tell you—”

“Tell me what?” Hordak roared.

“I have finished the machine!” he yelped.

In an instant, the Horde leader’s entire demeanor changed. He walked over to Galen Nycroft and placed a clawed hand upon his shoulder. “Show me!”

Together, they made their way to Galen Nycroft’s lab. “Your new super-warriors are being conditioned now,” the scientist explained. “I created three—well, four, actually, but the last one was a fluke—to start with. We can continue the project if they meet your expectations.”

The two Hordesmen stood on one side of a thick, plastic wall. On the other side, in side-by-side cages, were Hordak’s new warriors. They lashed about, and made animalistic noises.

“I have placed neurological implants in their brains that are taming them even as we speak. Soon, they will also be capable of more humanoid traits, like logic and reasoning, and even speech!”

“Impressive,” Hordak snorted. “And they will be loyal to only me?”

“Oh, of course, Mighty Hordak! Loyalty to you is the first thing the implants teach them.”

The warlord eyed them more carefully. “What beasts did you use?”

Galen Nycroft pointed at the cage on the far left, which housed a large, salivating creature covered in oily brown fur. Even from the thirty feet between them, Hordak could see the monster’s blood-stained, yellowed fangs. “I call him Grizzlor." With a sound of distaste coating each word, he added, "Before being captured, he was a Tikon Grizzly that was...feasting on a little girl.”

In the next cage, an equally large monster had affixed itself to the top of its prison using suction-cup extremities. This creature was a dark green in color, and it left an oozy trail in its wake. It planted its beady yellow eyes on Hordak, and opened its vacuous maw.

“What is that one?” he asked.

“That is Leech. He was found near the Tar Swamps. I think his name says it all. His energy-draining powers should be of great use to the Horde!”

The next cage housed an insectoid with a red and blue exoskeleton; from the waist up it was red, but its lower half (including all four legs) were blue. The creature had bulbous yellow eyes, and large ears.

Hordak pondered this one the longest. “It used to be a manta-ant?” he asked finally.

“Very perceptive, My Liege,” Galen Nycroft answered. “The deadly sting of the manta-ant made it a perfect candidate for my little experiment. Unfortunately, out of the five Troopers I sent to collect one, only two of them returned alive.”

“If it’s as deadly as the books say, then the loss was worth it. Name?”

“Mantenna, My Liege.”

“Excellent.” Then Hordak turned to the final cage, which contained a sentient stone creation. “Is that the ‘fluke’ you mentioned earlier?”

“Yes. You see, I had just finished putting the final touches on my machine when you...cast the Spell of Separation. As a result of the quaking, a pile of rubble fell onto the transformation pad and…well, it created this one.”

Hordak shrugged. “He could prove useful.”

“I hope so, Lord Hordak. I have named him Callix, after the short-circuiting sound the machine made when the rubble fell on it.”

The Horde leader gave an amused snort. “You have done well. Let me know as soon as they have been fully conditioned.”

Part 18

You're right, Angel-T, but I have other eventual plans for Catra and Scorpia...

*****

When the Cosmic Enforcer Zodak vanished from the place where Maq-Rel had tended to his medical needs, he expected to reappear in King Hsss’ throne room. Instead, he found himself floating aimlessly in the outer reaches of space. The planet Eternia was nowhere in sight, and the closest thing to him was a blazing star. He tried with all of his might to return to Eternia, but something was blocking his powers.

He eventually lost all track of time, though he was sure that it had been weeks since he had become stranded in the great blackness. He spent his time pondering the strange events of his recent past: his arrival on Eternia; the loss of his brother and teacher; the planetary cataclysm Maq-Rel had mentioned; and now, being trapped among the stars. Somehow, someway, Zodak was determined that he would return to Eternia and seek his revenge!

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he noticed a small piece of the nearby star break away, and start moving towards him. It came to a stop mere feet from Zodak, and took the shape of a male humanoid.

“Messenger?”

Yes, the being replied telepathically. I have been sent by the Higher Power to speak to you once more, Zodak.

“Was it the Higher Power that brought me here?”

Yes.

“Why? And why have I been left adrift so long?”

You needed time to grieve, and time to remember your true purpose. Your separation from Zeehlar and Zanthor is tragic indeed, but it is not your place to punish those that took them from you. You are a Cosmic Enforcer; your purpose is to maintain harmony and balance between the forces of good and evil.

“But this is personal!” Zodak declared. “Hsss devoured my brother!”

And one day Hsss will be made to pay for the atrocities he has committed, but it is not your place to determine the circumstances of his punishment.

Zodak was furious, but he also knew that he could not go against the will of the Higher Power he served, even if he tried. “Then what am I to do?”

Events have already been set into motion that will result in the Void being opened at King Hsss’ feet. Return to Eternia, and help the Elders imprison the Snake Men until the day comes when the forces of good and evil are balanced once more.

“Very well,” Zodak resentfully agreed.

The Messenger departed without another word, returning to the center of the great star nearby. Once it was gone, Zodak realized he had full control of his powers again...

Part 19

The Council of Elders had gathered before King Grayskull and his wife, where they were relaying the people’s concerns and questions. “Your Majesty!” the Man-At-Arms interrupted suddenly. “A group of Snake Men has just breached the castle’s perimeter wall!”

Grayskull jumped from his throne. “It looks like we were right, and at least some of the Snake Men survived. Bring me my armor, Man-At-Arms!” The warrior saluted, and sent for his master’s silver armor.

While Veena and the Elders made for the castle’s turrets, Grayskull made his way to Savage-Cat’s pen. Mounted on his giant, green lion the king charged across the jaw-bridge. The Snake Men were waiting for him out there, but it was not the armed force the king had been expecting. These serpents looked weak and malnourished…but they also looked ready to tear Grayskull apart.

“Turn around, Snake Men, and I will forgive your trespass,” he bellowed.

Their leader, a Rattler named Repton, did not seem to hear. “You tried to destroy our kind, human, but you still have us to deal with!”

“I did no such thing,” Grayskull replied calmly, holding up his hands. “It was the warlord known as Hordak that destroyed your lands. We want him brought to justice as well, to pay for the crimes committed against our people.”

The serpents launched their attack. In their weakened state, though, they were no match for the king and his steed. Grayskull leveled his arm, and a golden claw sprang from his wrist. The claw wrapped around one Snake Man’s waist, and Grayskull used his captive like a ball to hurl at the others.

Only Repton remained standing, and he didn’t look like he would go down as easily as the others had. King Grayskull pulled his mighty sword from its sheath, but in a flash his opponent had taken to the air and knocked him from his perch on Savage-Cat.

The pair landed on the ground with a heavy thud, and the king’s grip on his sword was lost. That sword, granted to him years ago by the Goddess herself, flew over the edge of the castle’s moat. It fell hundreds of feet before disappearing into the quick-running waters far below.

High above, Queen Veena saw the blade disappear, followed swiftly by her husband’s response to the attack. As Repton crumpled, a new enemy appeared, unnoticed by the king. Veena spread her arms and wings, and transformed into her falcon form. She rode the winds, screeching for her husband’s attention.

Beware! she warned him telepathically. A graver danger!

Grayskull looked to his right, sensing the malevolence his wife spoke of.

Hordak stood there, his leathery cape fluttering in the wind, laughing devilishly. “Eternia will be mine!” he declared, his red eyes narrowing.

“No!” Grayskull shouted, leaping at the creature responsible for raining so much havoc on Eternia. As quickly as he had come, though, Hordak was gone again. The king landed in a crouch, and Veena landed by his side, before reverting to her true form.

The Snake Men began to regain consciousness, and looked around with great confusion. “What happened?” Repton asked. “Where are we?” And then they saw Savage-Cat, and began to tremble and cower together.

“Easy, Cat,” Veena said softly, reaching up to pet the great beast’s muzzle. “I sense now that these Snake Men were under Hordak’s spell. Their attack was his way of gauging your fighting prowess, Grayskull.”

The warrior king nodded as he approached the group. “But what do we do with them now?”

“King Grayskull,” Repton replied, “please, show us mercy! We were made to attack you, but we didn’t want to. All we want is food! We haven’t eaten since our homeland was destroyed!”

“They speak the truth,” Veena answered before the question was asked.

“All Eternians are threatened so long as Hordak remains,” Grayskull said finally. “I will provide your group with food and shelter until you are well again. All I ask in return is that you encourage any other Snake Men you may find to work with us against this enemy.”

“We will do as you ask, Your Highness, but you should know that we have no intention of returning to our homeland. There is nothing left there. When we leave your mighty fortress we will probably head for the Sands of Mystery, where the climate still meets our needs.”

“Very well,” Grayskull consented. “Perhaps from your small group of survivors a new breed of Snake Men will emerge, one that is willing to coexist peacefully with mankind.”

The serpents nodded, as this idea appealed to them. (It should be noted that King Grayskull’s prediction did eventually come true. They called themselves the Reptons—after their leader—and they lived in harmony with the people of Eternia for eons afterward.)

*****

Later that evening, the Elders and their king and queen were all reassembled in the throne room. The Snake Men had eaten a large amount of food, and were now soundly asleep in another part of the castle. The leaders of Eternia had just resumed the talks that had been interrupted earlier, when suddenly Veena pressed her fingertips to her temples.

“What is it?” Grayskull asked, reaching out to touch her arm.

“A premonition,” she answered. “King Hsss lives, and I see him leading an army of Snake Men. He is about to reopen the Void!”

“The Void?” the Elders gasped.

“She is correct,” Zodak announced, appearing in the center of the chamber. “This is our chance to trap the remaining Snake Men in a prison of their own devising.”

“But what if King Hsss is going to confront Hordak?” Vulcan asked.

“And what if he is marching toward Castle Grayskull?” Duquaine countered.

“We can’t risk an attack from the Snake Men right now,” Zilora added. “Worse still, what if Hordak imposes his will on the remaining Snake Men, as he did the group earlier?”

“She’s right,” Sumana agreed. “We must neutralize King Hsss’ army now, before they attack us.”

King Grayskull weighed their words carefully. “Very well. Great Zodak, will you accompany Duquaine, Zilora, and Vulcan to Snake Mountain and see what can be done to stop the Snake Men?”

“I will,” Zodak replied, “and I will use my powers to augment their considerable magic.” The Cosmic Enforcer pointed at each of the three Elders in turn, and they became encompassed by the same silvery glow that illuminated Zodak from within.

“Thank you,” Grayskull replied. “I will need the rest of you to remain at the dark hemisphere’s border, as back-up in case Zodak’s group fails.” The other Elders nodded in response. “Good journey, my friends,” the king said as the two groups set out into the night.

Not to worry, He-Man54, Part II shouldn't be counted out yet. As far as the overall story being done, I haven't even posted the largest part (that would be Part III), and then there's the finale (Part IV). There's a lot of story left, lots of characters who haven't appeard yet, and many who will still reappear!

Part 20

King Hsss and his High Command walked slowly through the narrow, ruined halls of Snake Mountain. Teams had already come through and set up support beams to keep the fortress from caving in on itself.

“The door was buried behind these rocks,” Sssqueeze indicated, pointing at a large pile to his left, “but we’ve made enough room to allow us entrance.”

“Well done, S-s-squeeze.” From his belt, Hsss pulled out a golden disk with a cobra etched onto its surface. “It has been over thirty years since my forebarers used this room, but the time has come for it to be unsealed once more.”

The ruler inserted the disk into a tiny slot in the rock-face. A blast of trapped air blustered past the group, followed by a rumbling sound as a stone door slid aside. The room beyond had a floor that looked like the coils of a giant snake. Two entryways, both made to look like a serpent’s hungry visage, flanked each side of the chamber. In the very center was the opening to a pit, covered by a translucent shield. And beneath that shield was the dimensional entryway to the Void!

Hsss made his way to one of the four spires that framed the Void, and inserted the same golden key. The translucent shield faded away, as the king vowed, “Now, Hordak s-s-shall pay for his transgressions against us!”

Suddenly, a section of the wall behind them began to glow red-hot, and before the Snake Men could react it blew apart! The stone super-warrior named Callix stood on the other side, admiring the fading glow outlining his massive hands.

Hordak brushed past him and smiled at the Snake Men. “Is that so?”

A flash of brown shot past him, and the fanged one known as Grizzlor wrestled Tung Lashor to the ground.

“I’ll get him!” Sssqueeze announced, extending his sinewy green arms toward the Horde leader. Just as they curved around the warlord’s back, the Snake Man felt something clamp down on each wrist. He tried to pull back, but it was too late! Hordak casually ducked out of Sssqueeze’s grasp, revealing Leech in the shadows behind him. The energy-draining Hordesman had his suction-cup appendages attached tightly, and he had already started feeding on his prey.

Snake Face had slipped into the shadows during the commotion, and was making his way toward Hordak. He unveiled his power, transforming his face into a sight terrifying enough to turn his enemies to stone. “Look this way, Hordak!”

Mantenna dropped from the cavernous ceiling and landed on top of Snake Face. The transformed manta-ant stunned the Snake Man with his own super power: paralyzing energy rays shot from his eyes.

Rattlor leaped into the path between his king and Hordak. “Stop right there!” But a giant hand composed of rocks broke through the floor, trapping the Snake Man in its grasp. Rattlor looked to his left, where he spotted Callix leaning against a wall, his eyes aglow.

“This is between the two of them, rat breath,” the rock-monster taunted.

“Indeed it is-s-s,” Hsss agreed, seemingly unfazed by the battle surrounding him. “Your warriors may have ensnared my High Command, but you will not find me so easily defeated.”

“I’m sure I won’t”—Hordak created a ball of fire in the palm of his hand and launched it at King Hsss—“but that won’t stop me from taking you down!”

Part 21

The fireball splattered against a green energy field and dissipated harmlessly. “A decent opening salvo, but try this one instead!” Hsss raised his crimson snake staff and fired three serpentine energy bolts.

Hordak summoned his wings and wrapped them around himself for protection. The energy bolts’ effect was diluted by the leathery appendages. Hordak took to the air, and launched three more fireballs in quick succession!

King Hsss blocked the first two, but the third penetrated his shield and caught his magical “skin” on fire. He cursed at Hordak as he shed the disguise and revealed all five of his terrible heads. “You’ll pay for that!” Two of the snake king’s heads opened their mouths and spat venom at the flying Spikean, which Hordak narrowly avoided.

King Hsss shed the rest of his magical “skin”, revealing a long serpent’s tail where each leg had been. The snake king burrowed the ends of his massive tail into the floor, and the room sprang to life! The pattern of coils on the floor began to move, as if the room itself was sentient. Both snake-like doorways suddenly came alive, and went after Hordak.

The Horde leader called on all of his magic to fight the monster! As he darted between their hungry maws, and dove between their strikes, Hordak summoned fire and lightening to pummel the aggressors. “Stop him!” he shouted.

With the other Snake Men out of the way, the Horde super-warriors turned their attention on the snake king. Grizzlor and Leech each grabbed two of the king’s thrashing heads, while Mantenna locked his arms around the primary head. Meanwhile, Callix tugged at the tail, dislodging it from the ground.

Once Hsss’ connection to the room was removed, it reverted to its normal state, and Hordak was able to land safely. “I grow tired of this exercise,” he said, as he enclosed his hands around the head locked in Mantenna’s grasp. “It is time we finished this.”

The Shadow Weavers appeared in a cloud of smoke, and hovered over to the others. They pointed their gnarled hands at King Hsss, and he was lifted high into the air in a cocoon of purple magic. The muzzles Hordak had created vanished, and he thrashed about.

“Releas-s-se me!” he commanded, to not avail.

The dark sorcerers then turned toward Hordak, and lifted him into the air in a similar cocoon. They began to chant in words never heard by mortal ears, and they were surrounded by the same purple magic that Hsss and Hordak were. The cocoons started to pulsate, and arcs of greenish lightening danced across their cloudy surfaces.

Another explosion rocked the chamber, this time knocking the Horde warriors off their feet. They arose moments later, dazed and confused, but all they could see was dark smoke.

The Shadow Weavers hovered out of the darkness next, and with a wave of their hands they cleared away the smoke. King Hsss lay in a crumpled heap upon the floor, unmoving and barely breathing.

“Excellent work, Shadow Weavers. Now I will be able to destroy the forces of Grayskull and the Elders once and for all, and then Eternia shall be mine!”

For the first time since arriving at Snake Mountain, Mantenna approached Hordak directly. “Master,” he said with a slight stutter (caused by a glitch in his genegineering). “I can hear the din of battle outside. The surviving Snake Men are fighting someone.”

The Shadow Weavers reached out psychically and reported, “It is the Cosmic Enforcer, Zodak, and the Elders. They have come to stop the opening of the Void.”

Hordak turned to look at the gateway to the prison dimension. “It appears they are too late for that. But, as long as they’re here, they can clean up the rest of this trash for us.”

The Horde leader raised his hands toward the sky, and, using his newfound power, he teleported his forces away from Snake Mountain.

With Callix gone, the hand that held Rattlor captive crumbled. Free once more, he ran to his king’s side, and helped him up. One-by-one, the others were regaining their consciousness and strength respectively. Hsss slowly slithered back into his magical “skin”.

“Master, did Hordak really absorb your powers?” Rattlor asked as he handed the king his staff.

“Of course not, fool!” Hsss replied, swinging at the general with his staff.

In truth, Hordak had succeeded, but the snake king could never let his people know that—not even trusted Rattlor. Eventually, he was sure, his body would compensate for the lost powers and regenerate them, but until that time none could know of his true condition.

One of General Rattlor’s most trusted captains ran into the room at great speed. “Forgive the intrusion, great ones, but we are under attack!”

“From Zodak and the Elders,” Rattlor added.

“Then what are you waiting for?” Hsss bellowed. “We must join our troops!”

Awesome!If only we got more villain vs. villain fights in the show! Loved this update (heh, poor hsss he has little to no power left). Plus I like the little explanation for Mantenna's speech problems.